US Schools Failing in Computer Science Education

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that over 70% of jobs in science, technology and engineering will be in the computer science field. However, nationwide few students are preparing for computer science careers or computer science college programs. In fact, in some states less than 200 students took the AP Computer Science exam last year. Computer science education company LearnToProgram has announced the launch of their computer science curriculum intended to drastically improve the quality of computer science education in US secondary schools.

LearnToProgram, which produces distance learning courseware for online students, has adapted their robust catalog of computer programming courses into computer science curricula. The primary goal of LearnToProgram’s curriculum launch is to give students access to computer science knowledge and skills required to compete in today’s technology based job market. The company’s CEO, Mark Lassoff, recently remarked on the issue, “We hold as a core value the fact that ALL kids should be learning computer science right along with chemistry, physics and history.”

He added, “It is our hope that our curriculum will give schools the flexibility and expertise to make their students proficient in many different aspects of computer science.” LearnToProgram also believes their curriculum will help students across the nation achieve the technological literacy that the newly released National Common Core Standards for Education demands.

The curricula the company is offering to schools includes hours of video learning content, course and chapter discussion questions, as well as lab exercises and solutions.

Student and teacher guides, plus chapter objectives and assessments are also included. These courses can be taught directly at the secondary level as computer science education courses. At this time, LearnToProgram has over 10 computer programming courses with plans to make more courses available soon.

With many schools facing budget issues, LearntoProgram has made their new curriculum economical for school systems by offering a licensing model and using electronic instead of printed media. An entire site license for a school, which includes full access for all teachers and students, costs less than a typical classroom set of textbooks.

The first schools signed license agreements to use the new computer science education courses with LearnToProgram this week.